RELATED CONTENT: Rowland fears job losses at the jail
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THE Department of Corrective Services is rolling out a “benchmarking program” that they admit will see changes to many Corrective Service Officers’ jobs at jails across NSW.
At the same time, NSW Corrective Services says it is recruiting for up to 1000 new positions.
Cr Sam Rowland is concerned about the possible local job losses and says the department’s rhetoric “just doesn’t add up”.
“How can they say they are cutting costs on the one hand, yet recruiting more staff on the other?” Cr Rowland asked.
A NSW Corrective Services spokeswoman said on Thursday the benchmarking program aimed at improving standards and efficiencies of their operations and reducing inmate re-offending.
“We expect that improving our productivity will to lead to a change in the number of positions across the 34 prisons in NSW,” the spokeswoman said.
“However, this does not mean that staff involved will necessarily lose their jobs: due to the expanding inmate population, CSNSW is creating many more jobs. In the next year alone, we need to recruit over 1000 new staff.”
The spokeswoman strenuously denied it was a first step towards privatisation.
“Nothing will be done that will reduce the security and safety of Goulburn or any other correctional centre. It is not a first step towards privatisation.
“Detailed performance targets will be set for each correctional centre and centres will be expected to achieve them within a budget,” she said.
“The budgets are being determined in two stages: first by comparing our prisons with other prisons, and second by consultation with management, staff and unions at each correctional centre.”
But “it doesn’t add up,” Cr Rowland said.
Read more, page 3.